A wildfire broke out Saturday on the Karst plateau near the villages of Padriciano and Gropada, sending smoke and flames close to residential areas as emergency crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading.
According to Trieste’s Civil Protection, the blaze started in woodland behind the Ieralla nursing home in Padriciano. Initial reports indicated that flames and smoke were only a few dozen meters from some homes.
Two volunteer firefighting teams were initially deployed to support the Regional Forestry Corps, with additional crews arriving from across the province. Authorities said the combination of high temperatures and the limited number of forest access roads complicated firefighting efforts.
Although firefighters brought the blaze under control near Padriciano, smoke from the fire drifted toward Trieste overnight, creating poor air quality across parts of the city.
Authorities advised people to keep windows closed and, where necessary, wear face masks while the smoke cloud moved from the Karst plateau toward the city’s waterfront. No injuries or damage to buildings had been reported as firefighting and monitoring operations continued.
